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Total Rebuild of a 1979 Dodge Class C

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
I would say some of you have seen the start of this build that my brother bgriffey had posted, Well I have now bought the RV from him and plan to post the pixs of the build I have found a lot of rot in this RV I have torn out everything on the inside and have the rear opened up and the skin off the lower driver side, I will be buying a camera for my wife for christmas and im sure she will take the pixs if I can learn HOW to post them on here, Please remember its winter here in Kentucky so it will be slow but we will keep the pixs coming, Like I said this will be a total build from floor to walls and roof and custom inside build so I would appreciate all the help I can get this will be my first build and I will be learning as I go so any info will help. THANKS......Tony Griffey.

A new RV can be very expensive and if you already own an outdated RV then you should just consider a complete RV remodel which can be a significant amount of money cheaper than the cost of a brand new model. If you are retired and use your RV to travel then why not save the money for your travels rather than on spending a large chunk of money on a brand new travelling vacation home. When you decide to have an RV remodel done you can have your old model completely gutted and rebuilt to look just like a newer RV and when the work is done you will not even recognize your old mobile home. Going about having a new RV to travel in this way can save you thousands of dollars and you will not have to worry about the payments on a brand new RV home. Many retired people are travelling this way nowadays so they can travel the country and be comfortable while doing it, and there are many others that own these vehicles that they will take on summer family camping trips. The RVโ€™s that are made today are unbelievable and have all of the luxuries of home at a fraction of the size, these make it great fir families and retired folks to travel comfortably, and having an RV remodel done you can make your old RV look just like a brand new one.

Statistics show that the amount of registered RV homes on the road is growing steadily every year, and much of this is due to the baby boomer generation retiring and wanting to travel the country in comfort and style. Having an RV remodel can make your RV brand new. Some things you may want to consider is having all new beds and appliances put in. Since RV appliances are smaller than your normal home kitchen appliances they are much cheaper, and a complete RV remodel will probably cost you anywhere from $5,000 to $12,000, depending on how many changes are being done. The latter price could even be a little more if you are having your RV completely gutted and redesigned. It will still save you a lot of money over purchasing a new RV home. Another thing to consider during your RV remodel is if you plan on just remodeling the inside or if you want to have the exterior redone as well, and if this is the case the project will cost more money but will still be cheaper than buying a new RV. Most of these vacationing and traveling vehicles have a type of siding on them, and the more modern ones are sometimes made of more durable fibreglasses and plastics, these materials are very nice since you do not ever have to worry about rusting.

If you plan on getting a loan out for this remodeling job then you will first want to get various estimates, much like a home remodeling project. Once you get all the estimates you want you can then apply for the amount of money through your financial institution or credit union. The amount of money you need should not be hard for you to get approved for, especially if you have good credit. If you are a retired individual you most likely can take the money out of your pension or 401 funds, and this would be your best bet due to interest rates. Usually the place where you originally bought the RV can do the remodel for you as well, and if they cannot they can usually refer you to someone who can do the job for you. With the popularity of these vehicles constantly growing there are also many new dealerships and shops that specialize in these vacation vehicles. Having a comfortable vehicle to travel year round in or to just vacation in yearly is a great asset and can also be a great stress reliever. It is also a very popular vehicle for families to use on family camping trips, and the nice thing is that if the kids want to rough it while camping they can just sent their tents up right outside the RV.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's
3,483 REPLIES 3,483

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
PPCLI-Jim wrote:
put the ceiling up then the walls.. that way it helps hold up the edge of the ceiling material. just like drywalling..
Yeah that is what I will do.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

PPCLI-Jim
Explorer
Explorer
put the ceiling up then the walls.. that way it helps hold up the edge of the ceiling material. just like drywalling..
Been there, doing that have a few T shirts .

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
The old septic tank will not work for this layout so we will have to order a new one.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
The owner of this old dodge and her Dad.:B

Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
Still have to put insulation up on the overhead bunk and two or three places in the walls, Then finish the ceiling and the insulation is done, Now the question is what to do do next build the walls first or put the paneling up and the ceiling material, And then build the walls.



Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
I did not do all that much today, I put a piece of screen in the air intake of the furnaces to help keep bugs out, I think I might have to find a smaller piece of screen for this, It Looks like wasp could still get in through these slots.



This is after it was cut and put in.

Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
rondeb wrote:
oldtrucker63 wrote:
rondeb wrote:
I don't want to put a damper in your project, but those wires should be run through the wood not behind it. Their is always some friction as you move and it could wear a wires protective covering off. I'm not an expert, just an amateur electrician.
In some places to go through the wood 2x2 they would have to go through the steel framing and when you drill a hole through that steel frame it leaves sharp burrs, So I thought it would be the best to go behind it and just cut put a piece off of a 11x24.5 Truck inter-tube and wrap the wires with it, This will stop any rubbing from getting to the wires, That is a good eye you have there though, There is only two that is behind the wood and they should be ok, There is also Silicone to help hold the inter-tube in place.


Sounds like you have it all under control.
Yeah....Sometime it is OK to rig something as long as It is done right, People say there is A right way, A way that will work, And the wrong way....
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
Biscuit1001 wrote:
oldtrucker63 wrote:
It is getting there, This was not to long ago so progress is being made slowly but surely.



WOW, that's a LOT of progress! I'd like to show this entire thread to a tech at Camping World who seemed to think that old RVs should just be sold for scrap...
How wrong he is, I think someone should have a shop where they can buy/Rebuild/and sell old RV's I bet if they would keep a log of what has been done on the RV's They could sell a lot of them.
Oldies but Goodies............LOL
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
Biscuit1001 wrote:
oldtrucker63 wrote:
We can not find the silver insulation in Harlan, I would say Corbin or Lundon Ky is where we would have to go to get it so we have decided to just work with what we already have I can't see driving 65 miles one way just for this to bad I did not know about this at a earlier date, That is ok, What we have will work, Ya win some...Ya lose some, We got a little more insulation put in today.


Makes total sense to me, especially if you'd already bought the pink stuff, have it on hand, and are ready to work.

If it helps any, I've given up trying to find Eternabond locally (except for small patch type pieces at Walmart), and order it online. I'll probably do the same for the insulation. Now if I could only order 2x4's online! ๐Ÿ™‚
Here is where I ordered my Eternabond and They have great service.
Eternabond tape.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
lzasitko wrote:
TreeSeeker wrote:

I don't think OldTrucker can move his porch light up since it is also a lighted handle for entering the door.


I have the same style of door handle/light but we also have another light up higher (under the awning). The upper light is on a switch inside beside the door (along with an interior light on a different switch). The exterior door handle light has a push button switch behind the handle. It is nice when you want just a little more light, it's not as bright as the higher light. So far it has not attracted many more insects, my cover is not white but an orange tint to it.
Yeah this door handle has a switch inside and also on the outside under the handle like yours.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

oldtrucker63
Explorer
Explorer
TreeSeeker wrote:
Here are two message threads about using LED rope lights the full length of the awning either on the awning itself or right under the awning. Under the awning has the advantage in that you can use them without putting out the awning. Nice.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24461669/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1.cfm

http://forums.woodalls.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24069904/srt/pa/pging/1/page/1

I don't think OldTrucker can move his porch light up since it is also a lighted handle for entering the door.
tHIS IS NICE HERE tHANKS MAN,.....And your right the porch light can not be moved up Unless I patched the hole it would leave where its at right.
Without Trucks,....America Stop's

vcallaway
Explorer
Explorer
I have never seen a remote controlled light, ??? Where did they find one Or where can they be found.??


Don't know about commercial ones but I just used a automotive remote door lock control and a latching relay.

DW wanted to be able to turn on the inside lights at night before going inside.
1989 Honey Maxum

rondeb
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
rondeb wrote:
I don't want to put a damper in your project, but those wires should be run through the wood not behind it. Their is always some friction as you move and it could wear a wires protective covering off. I'm not an expert, just an amateur electrician.
In some places to go through the wood 2x2 they would have to go through the steel framing and when you drill a hole through that steel frame it leaves sharp burrs, So I thought it would be the best to go behind it and just cut put a piece off of a 11x24.5 Truck inter-tube and wrap the wires with it, This will stop any rubbing from getting to the wires, That is a good eye you have there though, There is only two that is behind the wood and they should be ok, There is also Silicone to help hold the inter-tube in place.


Sounds like you have it all under control.

abradf2519
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
rondeb wrote:
I don't want to put a damper in your project, but those wires should be run through the wood not behind it. Their is always some friction as you move and it could wear a wires protective covering off. I'm not an expert, just an amateur electrician.
In some places to go through the wood 2x2 they would have to go through the steel framing and when you drill a hole through that steel frame it leaves sharp burrs, So I thought it would be the best to go behind it and just cut put a piece off of a 11x24.5 Truck inter-tube and wrap the wires with it, This will stop any rubbing from getting to the wires, That is a good eye you have there though, There is only two that is behind the wood and they should be ok, There is also Silicone to help hold the inter-tube in place.


Sounds good to me, just don't let Mike Holmes see it! (http://makeitright.ca/) Just kidding, thanks for the thread. You are an inspiration to me to fix my sagging overhead bunk!
Alan and Marilyn
1993 Gulf Stream Conquest

Biscuit1001
Explorer
Explorer
oldtrucker63 wrote:
It is getting there, This was not to long ago so progress is being made slowly but surely.



WOW, that's a LOT of progress! I'd like to show this entire thread to a tech at Camping World who seemed to think that old RVs should just be sold for scrap...